A Guide To Pocket Hole Joinery In Sydney

By Anne Mehla

On October 08, 2013

For those unfamiliar with the term, pocket hole joinery involves the practice of drilling a hole at an angle into one piece of wood, which is then joined to a second piece using a self-tapping screw. This technique of joinery in Sydney can trace its roots back to ancient Egyptian times, when they would clamp two pieces of wood together and bore a hole, at an angle, from the outer piece into the second once. They would then insert a dowel that had been covered with glue and cut it off flush with the surface. But what is this joinery technique used for in more modern times and how is it achieved?

One of the main reasons that pocket hole joinery is more popular than other types of joinery in Sydney is that you only have to deal with one half of the joint and you don’t have to wait around until glue dries. All you need to do is just screw in the self-tapping screw and you’re good to go. This also reduces sanding time, which means that the piece of furniture or cabinetry is ready to be used pretty much straight away.

The drill bit that is used to create pocket hole joinery in Sydney creates a pilot hole in the first piece of wood and a flat-bottomed hole in the second (the main benefit of this is that you can help to prevent the wood from splitting, which is known to occur with round-bottomed holes). When the holes are coupled with self-tapping screws, they create a sort of mini clamp on the joint, which makes it extremely strong. Before creating a pocket hole join, it is important to ensure that your wooden boards have been properly prepared and that your cuts are completely square, otherwise you will find that the holes will cause the boards to line up in a way that is not straight.

There are a number of uses for pocket hole joinery in Sydney, including: creating right angles; beveled edges; aprons; leg rails; picture frames; window jambs; trim carpentry; built-ins; decks; cabinet frames; and stairways. If you are completing a woodworking project along similar lines to one of the ones listed above, a pocket hole join could greatly increase the strength of your piece and improve its appearance. Make sure you practice performing the joinery technique a few times before using it on your project.